Eamonn Daniel Higgins spent seven years in college. Between 2002 and 2009, he attended 10 different schools in Southern California, including Cal State L.A., Irvine Valley College and Santa Monica College, according to federal prosecutors. During that time, he studied sociology, marketing, English, business and math.

But Higgins was not a student and wasn't registered in any of the classes, authorities said. Rather, dozens of foreign students -- all from the Middle East -- were paying him to sit in class, take exams and write papers so that their student visas would remain valid, according to a charging document filed in the case. Students paid up to $1,500 for course assignments and finals and about $1,000 for English and writing proficiency exams, prosecutors allege.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents said the demand for Higgins' services was so great that he hired staff, including a blond woman who they believe posed as an Middle Eastern man.

Higgins, 46, a U.S. citizen who lives in Laguna Niguel, surrendered to authorities Monday and pleaded not guilty in U.S. District Court in Santa Ana to conspiracy to commit visa fraud. He is free on $5,000 bail. If convicted, he faces up to five years in federal prison.

Higgins and his attorney, federal public defender Elizabeth Macias, declined to comment after the hearing.

Authorities believe Higgins earned hundreds of thousands of dollars helping about 120 people from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Kuwait, Turkey and Qatar maintain their student visa status.

President Barack Obama's aunt, an illegal immigrant from Kenya, pleaded for political asylum before a Boston court Thursday in a case that risks embarrassing the embattled president.

Zeituni Onyango, 57, arrived at the Boston federal immigration court in her second attempt to secure asylum after ignoring a 2004 deportation order.

Defense attorney Margaret Wong said Onyango would "testify and there will be two other witnesses," both doctors.

"They're probably going to try to prevent the deportation because of medical issues," Wong said. "But we have more than one ground."

Wong said that Onyango would plead to be allowed to stay in the United States citing "tribal violence" in Kenya.

It was not clear whether Judge Leonard Shapiro would make a ruling at Thursday's closed-door hearing.

Wong said that Onyango would appeal if ordered deported. The US government also has the right of appeal.

The case puts Obama in a delicate position at a time when he is reeling from his Democratic party's failure to pass health care reform legislation and a surge in momentum for the opposition Republicans.